It’s been a while but it’s certainly NOT been uneventful. Life has changed a lot here in the Castle.

My gorgeous new love has moved in with me and we’ve both had our heads’ down building a life together.

And it looks like a lot has changed outside the Castle. 52% of the country voted to sever tie with Brussels yesterday. I am shocked at this to be honest, deeply shocked. And if you voted to leave the EU for positive reasons then I sincerely hope when the dust settles the UK thrives in the new position it finds itself in. I love being British and I loved being a part of the European Union and I see myself first and foremost as a citizen of the world; but how will other Europeans now regard me when I holiday in their country? That as a Brit I am happy to go there but not want to be part of their community?

In tandem with David Cameron’s resignation, the £120 billion that’s been wiped off the FTSE 100 this morning, I feel as I am having an out of body experience to be honest. We Taureans aren’t brilliant with change. How do you feel about it all?

I planned to write a VERY different blog this afternoon, but because of such unexpected news it no longer feels right. BUT the ONE thing I do want to do is let you know that I am running something very lovely on Goodreads that I would like you to know about. And also help me spread the word about and participate in if you wish to, which of course I hope you do. Tweets, social media shares would be all be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

It’s my first ever Goodreads giveaway for Gunshot Glitter!

It closes on July 1st 2016 and two copies of Gunshot Glitter are up for grabs, signed by yours truly.

So get yourself over to Goodreads and hit ‘Enter Giveaway’ after adding Gunshot Glitter to your To Be Read list as you could be lucky enough to win a beautiful, limited edition signed copy if you are based in the UK.

And if you are not, I deeply apologise; one day when I am truly minted, I will be posting signed copies to far flung places such as the United States of America, as I hate leaving interested folk out, but you can still enjoy Gunshot Glitter as an eBook and buy the novel in print if you like what you read.

I wrote a guest post yesterday for fine Scottish crime author Seumas Gallacher’s site ( to be published shortly) where I wrote ‘Five Reasons Why You’ll Love Gunshot Glitter,’ and one of those reasons was if you were a fan of the TV series Game of Thrones. I don’t know about you but I am addicted to the show, and after what felt like an uneven Season 5, I feel the show is back blazing bright this year. Seeing Sansa Stark bloom and embrace her power has been especially thrilling. I can’t believe the last episode is already upon us. Watching the show this year I could see so many parallels with the feelings the show elicited and what readers have told me they felt on reading Gunshot Glitter.

I wrote this passage which I wanted to share with you before I go and pack to spirit myself away:

“Peter Dinklage once described the jewel in HBO’s crown as ‘Stabby-stabby-stabby, sexy-sexy-sexy, stabby-stabby-stabby and…a couple of jokes.’ If you’ve seen the magnificent adaptation of George R.R Martin epic fantasy series, you will know exactly what Dinklage who plays the witty, erudite Tyrion Lannister is talking about. This is the show where no one’s favourite characters are safe, there are characters you love to hate, nothing is black and white and multiple storylines run rife. If you enjoy that dizzying sensation of wondering what you just witnessed and needing, craving, being desperate to know what happened next. You will love Gunshot Glitter, it’s a tale where crimes are committed, and your sense of right and wrong are sorely tested. You have been warned. And there is definitely a bit of sexy, sexy, sexy to it.”

My study has been revamped and the audio book is pending and Velvet Devils is coming along. I’ve had my head down wrapping myself around the change in my personal life, but I am pretty excited. Steven and I went to see Kinky Boots at the Adelphi theatre on The Strand on my birthday and the message of the show about self-acceptance and the celebration of diversity reminded me again how strongly we should strive for authenticity.

When I heard about Prince’s death in April and David Bowie’s in January I was strongly reminded of this again. I was huge fans of both men and shocked at losing them. I’m going to leave you with this vignette, which I hope gives you food for thought about the value of remaining true to yourself during a period of upheaval and instability, and then let you know how you can enter the Goodreads giveaway to win yourself a copy of Gunshot Glitter. Don’t forget to add the novel to your To Be Read list too.

“We’re losing iconic, self-made, creative originals who threw away the cookie cutter and inspired us all growing up. As an author who is insane for music, I owe them a debt of gratitude. ‪#‎Prince on paper back in 1981 would probably have been rejected by the likes of the Cowell if he was starting out today. 5ft 2″ tall with a penchant for high heels and eyeliner and soaked in sex. But look at his legacy, his crazy phenomenal output and he never compromised for anyone. Didn’t give a shit. His audience found him anyway. Musicians, artists and writers create the thing you love most that pleases you, whoever you are and wherever you come from. It’s what I intend to keep on doing. RIP Prince xxx”

Your name is Celine Silver. But no one has called you that in eight years.
You’re a classically trained musician and an Honours graduate.
You come from a nice, middle-class family.
You kill people for money.
And no one knows you anymore.
Fate throws the man you abandoned right back into your path – the man who knew you before you got blood on your hands, before you changed your name.
And he’s demanding answers.

But is there a way back to the path of normal?
What price do you have to pay when you realise you no longer want to be monster? And who are the real monsters and victims anyway?
And what about the incinerated boy who will never quite go away…